GA - Couple sues Hospital, Dr. Tracey St. Julian, and hospital staff for gross negligence after baby decapitated during delivery, July 2023

[IDK]

But this wasn't twins so I don't get it

I’m wondering if the baby’s head had already been born vaginally similar to the video above. Then the OB attempted her maneuvers and simply could not get the shoulders past the symphisis. Somehow the head became detached (either intentionally or accidentally) and the OB was able to push the baby’s body into the uterus. Then the rest of the baby was delivered by c-section. It hurts my heart to even write that out, but it’s what makes the most sense to me? At this point at least.

I believe the coroner’s report will be out Thursday but not sure if it will be made public. JMO

 

[fred&edna]

I have never heard of a c section and vag delivery- why wasn't the entire birth done by C section? that is just one question---

I've never heard of it either. While I worked many years in the medical field... none of it was OB. I was quoting from the link that was shared in post #11. Is it possible the head could not be retrieved via c-section?? ETA: Or the head was some sort of semi-natural expulsion vaginally since it occurred after the body and legs were delivered?

"At 12:11 a.m., the baby's body and legs were delivered through C-section, followed by the vaginal delivery of the baby's head.

Couple sues Georgia doctor for decapitating their baby during delivery

The police have also opened an investigation into the death of the baby.

www.ktvq.com

 

[IDK]

I've never heard of it either. While I worked many years in the medical field... none of it was OB. I was quoting from the link that was shared in post #11. Is it possible the head could not be retrieved via c-section??

"At 12:11 a.m., the baby's body and legs were delivered through C-section, followed by the vaginal delivery of the baby's head.

Couple sues Georgia doctor for decapitating their baby during delivery

The police have also opened an investigation into the death of the baby.

www.ktvq.com

Oh good point! I had missed the part that the head was delivered after the body. If that’s true , perhaps the baby’s head was still lodged in the birth canal and the decapitation happened during the c-section? That poor baby and his parents.

 

[vlbay]

Oh good point! I had missed the part that the head was delivered after the body. If that’s true , perhaps the baby’s head was still lodged in the birth canal and the decapitation happened during the c-section? That poor baby and his parents.

It sounds like the baby died from shoulder dystocia (the head was delivered and the baby was attempting to breathe, but the rest of the body was stuck and baby suffocated). As noted earlier, there is a protocol of different maneuvers that are used to try and get the baby out. Last resort would be to push the head back in and deliver via c-section. But the complaint indicated that the fetal heart rate was lost nearly an hour before the c-section, so I assume the baby had died and the head wasn't able to be delivered through c-section, so sadly the destructive option was used for the mother's health. Seems like the issues may be around whether a c-section was indicated earlier (mother is 4'9"--don't know if that increases risk), the dystocia protocols were followed, and if the parents were intentionally not informed about what had occurred.

 

[IDK]

This article clarified that the “injury” occurred during the c-section:

“Then, three days after the operation, Ross’s attorneys said she received a startling call from the funeral home: Her son had arrived decapitated.

The injury happened during the C-section, St. Julian allegedly told her later that day.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2023/08/11/baby-decapitated-childbirth-lawsuit/

 

[fred&edna]

"When the womb was opened, the feet came out, the body came out, and there was no head," said Dr. Roderick Edmond, one of the couple's lawyers. "Dr. St. Julian came in, and she, in the process of trying to deliver the baby, pulled on the baby's head and neck so hard, and manipulated them so hard, that the bones of the baby's skull, face, and neck were broken."

Atlanta 69

 

[alexwood]

So the bones of the skull, face and neck were broken, but still encased in skin and intact wholly with the baby's torso. The scalpel used for the c-section was the instrument used to sever the baby's head, whether intentionally or accidentally. Is this correct?

 

[Ray_of_hope]

I know the hospital said the baby died in utero. Would they have been able to notice the lack of heartbeat beforehand?

Yes, through FHR monitoring. I imagine there were some large decels prior showing fetal distress due to a "Shoulders" emergency, that was probably called and staff were working frantically. MOO.

 

[Ray_of_hope]

Here's a video on delivery involving shoulder dystocia (with a model). You can see how the head is manipulated.

Yes, excellent teaching video!

 

[Ray_of_hope]

Vaginal deliveries that result in complications are switched to a C-section. Having a C-section with one birth increases risk for future vaginal births. It is possible, especially as medical technology has advanced, but it's higher risk. So vaginal delivery is favored and only switched if (a) woman has had prior C-section and/or (b) there's a complication.

So glad you're here @BeginnerSleuther . Just to add to your post for fun. Twins were fun and were delivered sometimes one vaginally and the second by C-section. The fun ones were delivered vaginally but a day apart (I'm writing in terms of dates because one may have been born late at night vaginally while the second infant was born vaginally minutes later or longer.

 

[fred&edna]

I think it would be helpful if we had the actual complaint that was filed in court, and one of the news reports I saw had a link (and I read it). Unfortunately, I can't find it again.

 

[gngr~snap]

Just my opinion, but I tend to believe the fully dilated cervix closed on the neck, when the shoulders could not be delivered. I remember reading somewhere about this a few decades ago in nursing school. It can happen when a baby is born feet first, which is why c sections are scheduled for breech babies. I could see it happening in this case as well. It’s rare, but it has happened. I can not understand the actions of medical staff after the delivery.
MOO

 

[Hoosgirl]

Here's the link to the actual complaint:

DocumentCloud

www.documentcloud.org

 

[Hoosgirl]

If anyone else was curious (like me) the complaint states that McRobert's positioning was not used, so I googled it:

McRoberts maneuver - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Looking forward to hearing from our medical professionals if they can offer any insight on the complaint!

 

[mickey2942]

Just my opinion, but I tend to believe the fully dilated cervix closed on the neck, when the shoulders could not be delivered. I remember reading somewhere about this a few decades ago in nursing school. It can happen when a baby is born feet first, which is why c sections are scheduled for breech babies. I could see it happening in this case as well. It’s rare, but it has happened. I can not understand the actions of medical staff after the delivery.
MOO

I went to the hospital, they determined my baby was breech, and literally, I was in surgery within minutes of walking into the hospital. It was that fast.

So, it surprises me that this mother was in labor for a vaginal birth, and once everything went wrong, they did a C-Section. Why wasn't this done in the beginning?

 

[IceIce9]

I went to the hospital, they determined my baby was breech, and literally, I was in surgery within minutes of walking into the hospital. It was that fast.

So, it surprises me that this mother was in labor for a vaginal birth, and once everything went wrong, they did a C-Section. Why wasn't this done in the beginning?

MOO the shoulder dystocia did not occur until the baby had moved down in the birth canal. An emergent situation developed when the shoulders became stuck.

Shoulder dystocia would have not been expected since she had previously given birth to a larger baby through a vaginal birth.

 

[Hoosgirl]

MOO the shoulder dystocia did not occur until the baby had moved down in the birth canal. An emergent situation developed when the shoulders became stuck.

Shoulder dystocia would have not been expected since she had previously given birth to a larger baby through a vaginal birth.

I've seen others mention her giving birth before, but according to an affidavit with the complaint:

On January 10, 2023, 20-year-old Ms. Jessica Ross presented to Premier Women's OB/GYN due to missing her period.

She tested positive for being pregnant and had never been pregnant before.

 

[IceIce9]

I've seen others mention her giving birth before, but according to an affidavit with the complaint:

On January 10, 2023, 20-year-old Ms. Jessica Ross presented to Premier Women's OB/GYN due to missing her period.

She tested positive for being pregnant and had never been pregnant before.

Ok thanks. I read a news article that had stated she had previously delivered a larger baby vaginally.

 

[Wallendo]

Reading the complaint, it seems as if the baby may have been dead for about one hour prior to the C-Section. It also appears that there was video of the attempted delivery and at least one conversation was recorded.

Many of the allegations involve activities which were not documented, but may or may not have been done. In emergencies, documentation is not always a priority.

So far we have only seen one side of the story. Events may make much more sense when all information is available. I suspect this case will settle and we may never know.

 

[IDK]

Agree with the above post due to this from the affidavit:
“ u. Fetal monitor strips show repeated and consistent Category 3 strips beginning at 9:26 p.m. with persistent late decelerations until approximately 10:36 p.m.

“w. Fetal monitoring strips show a 10-minute period of profound bradycardia beginning at approximately 10:36 p.m.

x. Thereafter, there is no evidence of fetal heart tones on the fetal monitor strip.

y. Eventually, Dr. St. Julian took Ms. Ross to an operating room and attempted a Cesarean section at approximately 11:49 pm. on July 9, 2023”

So the baby was dying by 10:36 as seen by the profound bradycardia ( low heart rate) and then dead 10 minutes later.

I just don’t understand why they didn’t take the mother for a crash c-section at 9:36 when the baby developed persistent late decelerations? That’s one whole hour of the baby in severe distress!